Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Jeddah vs $1,478 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Jeddah vs $1,848 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Jeddah vs $2,219 in Medina, rent included.

Jeddah is about 19% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Jeddah sits 10% below the global median, while Medina is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.53

$5.48 SAR 20.55

19.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.72 SAR 153

$31.47 SAR 118

29.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$8.18 SAR 30.68

0.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$1.64 SAR 6.17

33.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$1.76 SAR 6.62

19.32%

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.44

$2.55 SAR 9.56

40.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.82 SAR 3.07

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.39 SAR 1.45

-35.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.63 SAR 6.11

6.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$0.98 SAR 3.68

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-2.95%

Eggs

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.12 SAR 7.97

29.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$6.49 SAR 24.35

14.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.69

$6.96 SAR 26.13

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 SAR 46.33

$12.64 SAR 47.44

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.41 SAR 9.05

-10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.11 SAR 7.94

-25.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-31.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-3.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$0.99 SAR 3.70

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.87 SAR 3.27

-31.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

$1.31 SAR 4.91

211.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$1.71 SAR 6.43

14.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$1.65 SAR 6.18

50.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 SAR 25.36

$7.58 SAR 28.44

-10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.05 SAR 3.93

29.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

$37.18 SAR 140

6.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.13

$1.31 SAR 4.91

146.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.64 SAR 6.16

14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$5.46 SAR 20.48

181.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.64 SAR 2.41

-1.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

27.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

1.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 SAR 393

$199 SAR 748

-47.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.31 SAR 121

$33.10 SAR 124

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$104 SAR 392

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$75.4 SAR 283

20.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

$9.01 SAR 33.80

401.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.25

$13.16 SAR 49.38

-0.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$400 SAR 1,500

$290 SAR 1,088

37.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

-15.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$37.12 SAR 139

73.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$52.3 SAR 196

11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 SAR 347

$65.8 SAR 247

40.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 SAR 317

$96.7 SAR 363

-12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 SAR 1,881

$424 SAR 1,591

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 SAR 1,464

$556 SAR 2,085

-29.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 SAR 3,374

$711 SAR 2,670

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$412 SAR 1,547

50.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

$2,340 SAR 8,782

-30.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

$1,313 SAR 4,929

-22.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,218

$1,316 SAR 4,940

25.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

50.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeddah versus $424 in Medina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Jeddah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Jeddah versus $31.00 in Medina. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $200 in Medina – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jeddah vs Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,202 in Jeddah, $1,478 in Medina – roughly 23% apart. Medina costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,803 per month in Jeddah and $2,217 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeddah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Jeddah and $31.00 in Medina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Jeddah and $1,478 in Medina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Medina at $1,478. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeddah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeddah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.